Haryana AAP decides not to contest assembly polls

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has shown its disinclination to fight the upcoming Haryana assembly polls as it plans to focus its energy for the Delhi assembly polls.

The decision not to contest the state polls in view of the "lack of approval" from the party's national leadership was taken at a meeting of the state executive of AAP headed by senior leader Yogendra Yadav at Karnal on Tuesday.

According to Haryana AAP’s chief spokesperson Rajeev Godara, a resolution was passed at the meet in which it was felt that "it will not be practical" to fight the upcoming state assembly polls in the absence of "full approval" of the party's national leadership and in particular taking AAP's national convener Arvind Kejriwal's views into consideration.

The resolution pointed out that Kejriwal had on two-three occasions made public his view that the party should not contest the Haryana assembly polls and instead focus its energy for the Delhi assembly polls.

Taking into consideration that a majority of AAP's volunteers and workers had wanted the party to contest the Haryana assembly polls, the state executive resolution mentioned that "with heavy heart, it is decided that without approval of the party's national leadership, fighting the polls would be meaningless".

The executive would forward its resolution to the central leadership for taking a final decision, Godara said.

Notably, AAP, which was hoping to make big electoral gains in Haryana in the Lok Sabha polls held in April-May this year, failed to win any of the 10 seats, with candidates even forfeiting their security deposits.

The AAP's executive decision will come as a boost to the main parties who will be in fray in the October assembly polls as the fledgeling outfit may no longer be able to cut their vote share.

The resolution mentioned that earlier it had been decided to fight the Haryana assembly polls. After the results of the Lok Sabha, at a meeting of state executive on May 28, 2014, election campaign committee and those of the contesting candidates, it had again been decided that state assembly polls will be fought by the party by fielding its candidates on 90 seats.

This decision was put before AAP's national executive meeting in Delhi held from June 6 to 8.

Haryana state executive members had also held a meeting with volunteers in 18 districts and sought their opinion, and 95% volunteers said AAP should fight the Haryana polls.